Tag: crop damage

Canadian geese are a beautiful breed of bird. They’re majestic, regal, and unfortunately, they can cause quite a bit of damage to a field of crops.

Canadian geese can cause problems, as they tend to travel in large flocks and graze twice per day.

For decades, agricultural experts have struggled to keep these winged pests away from their crops. Through their hard work and labor, we’ve learned some of the best ways to prevent trouble before it starts.

Here are some of the best tips you can use to keep Canadian geese from causing crop damage.

How to Spot Crop Damage

Observing the geese directly is obviously the simplest way to determine whether or not these pests are causing problems, but you can also examine your field’s plants for a few telltale signs.

Analyze your crops’ leaves. Do they look torn or shredded? Geese’s teeth are serrated, like what you’d see on a saw or certain knives. Sharp, jagged tears in plants are often a sign that you have some unwanted guests.

Of course, Canadian geese aren’t exactly subtle about their presence, as they have a distinct tendency to leave droppings all over the place. While this is both unsightly and annoying, you may actually be able to use it as fertilizer for certain flowers.

Install Fencing

One of the simplest and most cost-effective methods of keeping geese away is by installing a wired fence around your property.

As pesky as geese can be, they’re also quite lazy. They don’t want to work for their meals, so they’ll only go after crops if they can see a direct path to their food.

Adding a few feet of finely-meshed fence facing their nest will typically deter them. If your property contains standing water, you may also want to install a fence three inches above the water itself.

Change Your Landscaping Techniques

Geese prefer to land in softer areas with shorter grass. This is because they want to directly assess their surroundings and any potential threats, including snakes.

While most of us mow our lawns to keep our grass as short as possible, leaving a little bit of length can keep birds away. Grass higher than three inches is best.

Use Fright Tactics

Geese act on instinct. Should they sense the presence of another foe (even a fake one) they’re likely to retreat. For this reason, many agricultural experts install scarecrows and gas cannons to scare away any birds.